Piper PA-32 N3029Y

Summary

On 23 September 2008 at about 17:55 local time, a Piper PA-32 registered N3029Y was involved in an accident near Atlanta, Georgia, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

23 September 2008 at 17:55

Classification

Accident

Location

Atlanta, Georgia, United States

Nearest airport

Dekalb Peachtree (PDK)

Coordinates

33.9081, -84.3103

Aircraft

Piper PA-32

Registration

N3029Y

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Atlanta → Coldwater

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC08FA319

1 person died.

A loss of aircraft control for undetermined reasons.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The day prior to the accident, the 5,000-hour pilot flew his Beechcraft from Michigan to Georgia in order to rendezvous with a Piper flown in from Florida, with the intent of taking the Piper in trade for the Beechcraft. Shortly after the two airplanes arrived at the Georgia airport, the Beechcraft pilot conducted a pre-buy examination of the Piper, which lasted about 1 hour, and the airplane exchange was concluded later that day. The following day, the pilot was observed to preflight the Piper, and to taxi it from the ramp for departure about 45 minutes after he arrived at the airplane. Eight minutes later, the airplane was cleared for takeoff, and for about 90 seconds, the airplane climbed out at approximately 500 feet per minute (fpm). The pilot then declared an emergency, and requested a return to the airport. While executing the turn back toward the airport, the airplane entered a descent of approximately 2,600 fpm, and impacted trees and terrain in a residential neighborhood about 1-3/4 miles from the airport. Some exterior portions of the airplane skin exhibited an unusual oil coating, but this was determined to be a result of the impact sequence. No evidence of any pilot medical issues, or airplane anomalies such as opened doors or loose panels, that may have prompted the pilot's decision to return, or resulted in the airplane's rapid descent, was discovered.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.